Anna
Luke continues to offer reliable witnesses as to the truths concerning Jesus, who would come suddenly into the Temple (Mal. 3:1). Prophets were rare in Israel in those days, but the aged Anna was a prophetess (cf. Acts 21:9). Her name means Grace. She was a widow, a daughter of Phanuel. She was from the tribe of Asher. Hendriksen states:
Asher was the second son of Leah's handmaid Zilpah. He was named Asher (Happy) because his birth made Leah happy. He was Jacob's eighth son. See Gen. 29:31-30:24; 35:16-20, 22-26 for the list of Jacob's children.
More important in the present connection are these two facts: (a) The very presence of a member of the tribe of Asher, a member who is living in Jerusalem, shows that the so-called "Lost Tribes" were not completely lost. (b) The fact that Luke knows to which tribe Anna belongs indicates that the Jews were keeping their family registers or genealogies up to date.
It is unclear if "eighty-four" is meant to signify Anna's age or the years of her widowhood. Luke states, "She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying" (Luke 2:37). "Night and day" is probably better understood as "all the time" (cf. Acts 24:53), as women were not allowed in the Temple at night. She was a devote person ("fasting and praying").
Luke did not specify what it was for which she gave thanks, but her praise was likely connected with the redemption the child would bring to Israel. Bock says, "She is full of thanksgiving at the arrival of the child who will complete God's promise, and she speaks about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem. Her teaching would have been heard by all who frequented the temple. Her hope, like Simeon's, looks to the completion of what God is starting.
Luke consistently paid much attention to the role of women in his history (Luke 1:42; 7:37-50; 8:1-3, 43-56; 10:38-42; 11:27-28; 13:11-21; 21:23; 23:27-29, 49-56; 24:1-24).
Mary and Joseph, after "everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth" (Luke 2:39). They, like Zechariah and Elizabeth (Luke 1:6), kept the law blamelessly.
Jesus grows in strength and wisdom, receiving the favor of God (Luke 2:42, 52; cf. Luke 1:30). The Savior of the world, God's Son incarnate, grew as only the God-Man could, never sinning, and yet growing in strength and wisdom (cf. John 1:80).